Two Bladenboro men were arrested Monday after a deputy said he caught the men organizing a dogfight.

Twelve pit bull dogs were recovered from the scene, and one was found dead. At least one of the animals was seriously injured.

Bladen County Sheriff Steve Bunn said Benny Yarborough and Robert Lee Hall, both of 95 Millpond Court, Bladenboro, were charged with felony dog fighting and malicious restraint of a dog. Both were released by a magistrate under $3,000 bond each.

Yarborough is 46. Hall is 34.

A third man, Joseph Wayne Rice, is being sought in the case. Rice is 19 and lives at 662 Bridger's Road, Clarkton.

Malicious restraint of a dog is a misdemeanor. The law was passed last year to prevent the use of weights and heavy chains to make dogs more aggressive.

Breeders of fighting dogs occasionally use other dogs of smaller breeds as "bait" dogs, to train the fighting dogs to kill.

The law was passed as a direct result of the growing number of cases of dog fighting in North Carolina. Once considered a sport, dogfighting has been illegal in many counties since the mid-1800's, and statewide since 1925.

Bunn said this was the first time deputies had actually broken up a dog fighting ring in Bladen County. Officers had received several complaints about possible dog fights at the Mill Pond Court home.

Bunn said a deputy was responding to a complaint in the neighborhood when he saw three men around a dog fight ring. Two of the men were allegedly trying to get two dogs to fight.

One of the man had blood on his clothing, Bunn said, and one of the dogs was injured. A pit bull that had apparently been freshly killed was nearby.

Sheriff's deputies and Bladenboro Police, along with Bladen County and Bladenboro Animal Control officers, were called to the scene to assist.

Bunn said the dogs had heavy chains attached to their collars. The extra weight helps the dogs develop stronger chest muscles, making them more effective in fights.

A man at 95 Millpond Court Tuesday refused to comment or identify himself. He refused to allow photographs to be taken of the area where the dog fights allegedly occurred, and told a reporter to leave.

The sheriff said the living conditions of the animals were "deplorable."

"People have no idea how dogs are treated in cases like this," he said.

The dogs will be treated as evidence until after Yarborough and Hall's court date, Bunn said. After the case is decided, the animals will have to be euthanized.

The animals are being held at the Columbus County Animal Shelter.

"Because of their training," Bunn said, "the dogs are too vicious to be adopted out."

The investigation is continuing.

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